Clubhouses offer people living with mental illness hope and opportunities to achieve their full potential.
The emergence of Clubhouses around the world demonstrates that people with mental illness can successfully participate in society through education, employment and other social activities. The personal stories of members and their families and an increasing body of research provide evidence that Clubhouses provide a holistic, inspiring and cost-effective solution for people living with mental illness.
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A Clubhouse is:
- A place where people with serious mental illness (members) participate in their own recovery process by working and socializing together in a safe, welcoming environment.
- An organization that operates on proven standards developed over 6 decades by Clubhouse International and effective in over 350 Clubhouses worldwide.
- A community-based approach that complements available psychiatric and medical treatments.
Active member engagement and involvement are critical components of success at Clubhouses:
- Membership is voluntary and long-term.
- Members have a key role in organizing Clubhouse activities. Staff and members work together as colleagues.
- Work, education and social activities in the Clubhouse are meaningful and help members regain self-worth, confidence and purpose.
- Clubhouses provide paid employment opportunities in local businesses for members who want work; we help members become successful employees.
The Clubhouse experience has been proven to result in positive outcomes for many members, including:
- Employment, with longer on-the-job tenure for members engaging in Clubhouse Transitional Employment. 1
- Cost effective, compared to other mental healthcare approaches. The cost of Clubhouses estimated to be one-third of the cost of the IPS model; about half the annual costs of Community Mental Health Centers; and substantially less than the ACT model. 2
- A significant decrease in hospitalizations as a result of membership in a Clubhouse program. 3
- Reduced incarcerations, with criminal justice system involvement substantially diminished during and after Clubhouse psychosocial program membership. 4
- Improved Well-Being compared with individuals receiving psychiatric services without Clubhouse membership. Clubhouse members were significantly more likely to report that they had close friendships and someone they could rely on when they needed help. 5
- Better physical and mental health. A recent study suggests that service systems like Clubhouses that offer ongoing social supports enhance mental and physical health by reducing disconnectedness. 6
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Sources: 1 Macias, Kinney and Rodican (1995). 2 McKay, Yates, and Johnsen (2005); IPS model reported by Clark et al (1998); ACT model reported by Macias et al (2001). 3 De Masso, Avi-Itzak and Obler (2001).. 4 Johnson and Hickey (1999). 5 Warner, Huxley and Berg (1999).. 6 Leff and colleagues (2004).
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Clubhouses powerfully demonstrate that people with mental illness can and do lead productive, happy lives. Each Clubhouse we open touches +/- 500 people in need!
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Help ensure that people living with mental illness in your area have a place to go and support to find jobs, education, housing and a new lease on life.
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Imagine if you had a place to go where you felt accepted, understood, hopeful AND that helped you get a job, go back to school or find a home. That is what Clubhouses offer.